The present invention is preferably used for programming sensors, e.g. position sensors for adjusting operating parameters like start value and end value, zero point and measurement range, resolution, linearization data sets, scan rates, filter parameters etc. The programming of such parameters is generally only done once in the product life cycle. Sensors in particular should already have gone through final assembly before programming, thus should be completely installed in the housing and should possibly be encapsulated by an encasement compound.
In the prior art programming conductors have been used in such cases for programming sensors, which conductors were run out to separate terminals, this means connector pins or strands in a connection wire. In many cases, this technique is the most cost effective method. Thus, in the prior art, in addition to the application signals, thus those conductors, which are required for operating the sensor during regular operation, like e.g. +24 V supply, 0 V supply (ground), OUT=analog signal output, 0 V signal (signal ground) are provided. Thus, in the prior art, additional programming conductors (like e.g. progmode as an activation signal of the programming mode and progsignal as a bidirectional serial programming data signal) were run out. In many cases, these programming conductors are used only once during the production process for adjusting e.g. the zero-point and the amplification of a position sensor or of an angle sensor. After shipping the sensor, access through the programming conductors is not necessary anymore or not even desired or permissible anymore. Though, these programming conductors are being used only once in the product life cycle, they, however, also have to comply with the requirements for reverse polarity- and overvoltage resistance. In order to exclude the risk of damaging the internal electronics by accidental electric potentials, this requires a considerable additional complexity of the circuit through current- or voltage limiting components, like e.g. varistors, transzorbdiodes, and cold conducting resistors.